The Qin headquarters at Choyou was shrouded in a heavy silence.
Inside the command tent, a massive map of the Choyou region lay spread across the central table. Wooden markers representing thousands of soldiers covered every valley, mountain, river crossing, and fortress.
Gathered around it were General Tou, Duke Hyou Ren, Ri Yue, Ryuukoku, Rokuomi, Kanou, Ouhon, Shin, Kyoukai, Karyo Ten, and the commanders of the allied armies.
Everyone understood one thing.
The battle for Choyou would decide whether Qin could continue its march into central China.
Ryuukoku broke the silence.
"The situation has changed."
He pointed his hand toward the Wei positions.
"We have successfully gathered nearly every Qin army operating throughout the Choyou region. However..."
His expression darkened.
"Wei has done exactly the same."
Several new markers were placed onto the map.
"Their reinforcements have completely merged with the existing Choyou garrison."
Tou folded his arms.
"Furthermore..."
"The commander leading them is none other than Great General Gohoumei."
The room became noticeably quieter.
Even Shin's smile disappeared.
Gohoumei alone was already one of Wei's greatest military minds.
But Tou had not finished.
"Three additional Wei armies of unknown identity have also appeared upon the battlefield."
The commanders exchanged confused looks.
Unknown armies?
Who could possibly command forces large enough to remain hidden until now?
Before anyone could speculate further, Ri Yue calmly stepped forward.
"Our intelligence network has already identified them."
Every eye turned toward her.
"The three newly arrived armies belong to the former Fire Dragons of Wei."
She placed three pieces onto the battlefield.
"Great General Reiou."
Another.
"Great General Gaimou."
A third.
"And Great General Earl Shi."
The entire command tent froze.
"..."
"..."
Even Rokuomi's usual loud demeanor vanished.
Shin stared blankly.
"The... Fire Dragons?"
Karyo Ten's face paled.
"No wonder..."
Ouhon's expression became unusually serious.
"So they've all returned..."
Tou slowly nodded.
"So Wei has gathered four Fire Dragons under one battlefield."
Even the veteran generals could feel the enormous pressure.
Ryuukoku resumed the briefing.
He pointed toward the map.
"The Wei deployment has been constructed while making perfect use of Choyou's terrain."
His hand traced across rivers and mountains.
"Their armies are spread throughout every important position."
"Each reserve supports another."
"Every mountain pass is protected."
"The rivers naturally limit any direct assault."
His hand finally stopped at the center.
"And the central army can dispatch reinforcements in every direction whenever necessary."
He looked around the room.
"It is as though the entire battlefield has become one gigantic fortress."
Silence followed.
Tou studied the map for several moments before speaking.
"If we truly face four Fire Dragons..."
"...then I believe we should request reinforcements from the Ousen Army."
"It would at least even the odds."
Before anyone else could respond…
"You must not."
Everyone looked toward the speaker.
Ouhon.
Tou narrowed his eyes.
"You object?"
Ouhon nodded firmly.
"We cannot ask the Ousen Army to leave their position."
Ri Yue immediately frowned.
"Do not allow your personal feelings to interfere with military decisions, young one."
Ouhon looked directly at her.
"Don't be ridiculous."
"I am speaking purely from a strategic perspective."
He pointed north.
"The Ousen Army currently forms the wall preventing Zhao from invading Qin."
"If Father withdraws now..."
"...Zhao will immediately exploit the opening."
"The consequences would be disastrous."
Ri Yue crossed her arms.
"Enough."
"If you oppose requesting reinforcements..."
"...then what exactly is your solution?"
Without hesitation, Ouhon walked toward the map.
"We can still capture Choyou."
He placed his hand upon the Wei formation.
"At first glance..."
"...this formation appears flawless."
His finger slowly moved across three separate areas.
"But it possesses weaknesses."
He tapped the northwest.
"Here."
Then the southwest.
"Here."
Finally, several river crossings.
"And here."
The officers leaned closer.
Ouhon continued.
"The terrain surrounding these three sectors greatly delays communication."
"If one of these positions comes under attack..."
"...the central army cannot be informed immediately."
"The rivers and mountain roads slow every messenger."
Hyou Ren carefully observed the map before speaking.
"Even if those are weaknesses..."
"...breaking through all three would still be extremely difficult."
"The central reserve would eventually arrive."
Rokuomi suddenly slammed both hands onto the table.
"So what?!"
"All you've done is point out three difficult places!"
"That doesn't amount to jack shit!"
Several commanders quietly nodded.
Ri Yue, however, remained thoughtful.
After several moments she spoke.
"I understand now."
Everyone looked toward her.
"If only one point falls..."
"...the Wei reserve will reinforce it."
"If two points fall..."
"...they can still recover."
She slowly looked toward Ouhon.
"But..."
"If all three positions collapse..."
"...at precisely the same moment..."
"The central reserve will be unable to decide where to reinforce."
"The entire defensive network would collapse."
Ouhon nodded.
"Exactly."
He picked up three Qin markers.
"We divide our forces."
"Our main offensive will consist of three separate armies."
He placed the markers upon the weak points.
"On the exact same day..."
"...at the exact same hour..."
"...these three armies will simultaneously annihilate Wei's outer defenses."
He looked around the room.
"The attacking armies shall be..."
He placed the first marker.
"Rokuomi Army."
The second.
"Gyoku Hou Unit."
The third.
"Hi Shin Unit."
Hyou Ren and Ri Yue remained completely silent.
Neither reacted.
Ouhon noticed.
"..."
Finally...
Hyou Ren spoke.
"Your strategy..."
He looked directly at Ouhon.
"...is full of loopholes."
A long pause followed.
"...and frankly."
"It is dumb."
The room instantly froze.
Even Ouhon's eyebrows twitched.
Hyou Ren continued without changing expression.
"You rely upon perfect timing."
"You assume all three armies will succeed."
"You assume none will be delayed."
"You assume Wei will react exactly as predicted."
He shook his head.
"Battlefields do not reward assumptions."
His finger moved toward the center of the Wei formation.
"The Hyou Army shall instead concentrate its entire strength here."
One enormous Qin marker representing one hundred thousand soldiers was placed directly against Wei's center.
"Wei has scattered its armies across the region."
"It has given rise to their current strength but it also given rise to one fatal weakness"
"They cannot possibly withstand the full might of my one hundred thousand elite soldiers striking a single point."
His crimson eyes swept across everyone present.
"Nevertheless..."
He looked back toward Ouhon.
"Your reckless strategy may create opportunities."
"So we shall proceed with both."
Everyone listened carefully.
"On the third day..."
"The Rokuomi Army..."
"The Gyoku Hou..."
"And the Hi Shin Unit..."
"...will launch their simultaneous assaults."
He then pointed once more toward the center.
"At that exact same moment..."
"...my entire army will begin its advance through the center."
His voice echoed throughout the headquarters.
"We shall see."
"Which proves to be the superior strategy."
"The young commander's gamble..."
"...or the overwhelming concentration of my forces."
A fierce smile appeared on Hyou Ren's face.
"Use the information I have given you wisely."
"No matter what happens..."
"By the end of the third day..."
"Choyou's fate will be decided."
Ri Yue looked toward the three assault commanders.
"Rokuomi."
"Ouhon."
"Shin."
Her usually calm voice became firm.
"You three must shatter the enemy positions on the third day."
"If you fail..."
She turned toward the massive Qin marker representing Hyou Ren's army.
"...the Duke's army will be forced to fight every Fire Dragon of Wei head-on."
Silence consumed the headquarters.
Outside the command tent, tens of thousands of Qin soldiers sharpened their weapons beneath the darkening sky.
Across the rivers of Choyou, four legendary Fire Dragons awaited.
And in three days' time…
The greatest battle Wei had fought since the Coalition War would finally begin.